DHAKA: Bangladesh is in negotiations with Myanmar aimed at a deal to repatriate displaced Rohingya and Dhaka’s foreign minister will address the matter at talks in Myanmar this week, the Bangladeshi foreign ministry said on Sunday.
More than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since late August, driven out by a military clearance operation in Buddhist majority Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The Rohingyas’ suffering has caused an international outcry.
“Bangladesh and Myanmar are in the process of negotiation for a bilateral agreement for repatriation of displaced people and expect to form a Joint Working Group to facilitate the repatriation,” said a ministry statement, quoting remarks by Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali at a meeting with his Japanese counterpart in Dhaka on Sunday.
A senior aide to Ali said he would leave for Myanmar late on Sunday to attend an Asia-Europe (ASEM) meeting on Monday and Tuesday and would stay on another couple of days for bilateral talks on the Rohingya.
The official said Ali hoped for an agreement on allowing Rohingya to return to Myanmar. “Both countries have almost reached an understanding on this issue and there are a few points (still) to be agreed... We hope to reach an agreement.”
There was no immediate comment from Myanmar. On November 1, Myanmar insisted it was ready to set up a repatriation process but voiced fears Bangladesh was delaying an accord to first get international aid money. A senior Bangladesh home ministry official described the accusation as outrageous.
Meanwhile, the EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Sunday she would discuss ways to end the Rohingya crisis with Aung San Suu Kyi when she meets the Myanmar leader in Yangon.
Mogherini and foreign ministers from Asia and Europe toured refugee camps along Bangladesh’s border with Myanmar and heard harrowing testimony from displaced Rohingya there before their meeting on Monday with Suu Kyi.
Myanmar’s civilian leader has been facing mounting global outrage over an army crackdown.
Mogherini said the delegation’s two-day visit to Yangon and meeting with Suu Kyi offered a chance to talk.
“That will be also an occasion to exchange views with Aung San Suu Kyi and the government of Myanmar (about) how to solve this crisis,” she told reporters in Bangladesh’s southeastern Cox’s Bazar border district.
“(Rather) than putting pressure, our approach is always and will be to offer a negotiation space.”
She said the Rohingya living in squalid camps in Bangladesh were “carrying with them terrible stories”.
“As a mother, seeing so many very young children taking care of even younger children is what strikes me the most,” she added.
The EU diplomatic chief toured the refugee camps with the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Japan, Sweden and Germany before the delegation’s visit to Myanmar for an Asia-Europe ministerial meeting.
On Saturday, China offered to help defuse the Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh said, following meetings with Beijing’s top diplomat that Dhaka hopes will apply pressure on Myanmar take back hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Foreign Minister A H Mahmood Ali held talks in Dhaka on Saturday with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over the issue.
“When the issue of exodus of displaced Myanmar nationals was raised, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated that as a friend China will help resolve the issue and will not be partial to any side,” Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement after the talks.
The statement added Wang stressed the “importance of continued consultations and dialogue between Bangladesh and Myanmar on the issue.”
No details were given on what concrete steps Beijing might take. — Reuters/AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
